Local bus line may link up with Cleveland transit

LORAIN -- The idea of a partnership between the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority and Lorain County Transit will be put forward by RTA as a way to solve both Cuyahoga and Lorain counties' transit issues, according to RTA spokesman Jerry Masek.

Lorain County Commissioners had planned to shut down LCT on Dec. 2 due to a $4 million shortfall in the general fund. About two weeks later, commissioners and U.S. Rep Betty Sutton put together $276,000 in unused stimulus funds gathered from around the state in order to keep some LCT routes running through next year.

"Lorain County and Cuyahoga County and their transportation systems are more intertwined than ever before," RTA President George Dixon wrote in a letter to commissioners dated Dec. 22. "The increasing suburban growth in Lorain and western Cuyahoga counties has created a seamless transportation market that traverses the county border."

Masek said officials at RTA were very disappointed when they had to end shuttle service into Avon Lake in October due to budget cuts on both the city and the transit authority's sides.

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Most of RTA's service ends at county lines because much transit funding is county-based, according to Dixon. "Now we are trying to work on a multi-county system because there are people in Lorain, Elyria, anywhere, working downtown.

"... We are promoting this idea of coming together which is especially important considering almost every transit is two breaths away from doing what Lorain County did," Dixon wrote, referring to funding cuts to LCT. "They are just the first ones to fall from this, but others are on the brink, and we need to pay attention to transit systems and their values."

Masek said there are a lot of kinks to be worked out in forming a partnership, such as how and where the funding would come from. Currently, the RTA is funded from a 1 percent Cuyahoga County sales tax. Earlier this year, RTA had to cut their budget because sales tax was down $18 million, and next year it is estimated to be down $17 million.

"While it will be a challenge, we believe now is the right time to take advantage of the opportunity to provide improved transit system between our two counties as well as to identify cost-effective solutions to the current and future transportation needs of our communities," Dixon wrote.

Lorain County Administrator James Cordes said because RTA has a dedicated revenue stream from the sales tax, he doesn't see them extending services to Lorain County without similar revenue here.

"This was something we have discussed a few times, and if we had a similar revenue stream we wouldn't have any problems with our own transit. But we just can't see them coming here without the dedicated revenue source over here," Cordes said. "I mean, hey, you never know what is going to happen, but we already couldn't afford them in Avon Lake because it was too expensive."

Dixon wrote the solution could include joint planning of transit services in both counties, either operated by LCT, RTA or a private operator, formation of a combined transit district to take full advantage of any savings and joint lobbying for funding for both LCT and RTA.

Masek said the only way this plan will work is if everyone agrees.

"There is no proposal and no plans; this is a proposal saying that we might be there to help wherever we can and merge systems if everyone agrees," Masek said. "If it goes through, it will probably start very slowly, perhaps a bus or two in the morning to Elyria and Lorain to take them downtown. It depends what the needs are and what the resources are. At this point, there are 1,000 questions, and I don't have 1,000 answers."

Commission President Lori Kokoski and Commissioner Ted Kalo, who chairs the budget committee, could not be reached for comment.